Erika Shank shared another terrific Florida botanic garden with us!
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a 2.6-acre urban greenspace in Miami Beach, Fla., founded in 1962. It was transformed in 2011 with a landscape renovation designed by South Florida landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The new landscape showcases native Florida plants and trees including bromeliads, palms, cycad, and orchids. The collection of palms is superb, and the garden also has a small plant nursery! Admission is free. Corporate and social events are held there; during my visit, they were setting up for a wedding.
The main pond with a fountain, seen over a mass of tropical foliage.
A lovely fountain designed by Morris Lapidus, the architect responsible for some of Miami’s most iconic hotels.
Latania loddigesii, Blue Latan palm. This beautiful palm is an endangered species and is native only to Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Plants like these in cultivation help ensure that they don’t go extinct.
Copernicia fallaensis, the giant yarey palm, demonstrating yet again that beauty in the garden is often more about texture, form, and foliage, not just bright flowers. Today only about 100 mature trees remain in its native range in Cuba.
This Japanese garden takes design principles from a much colder climate and translates them into a tropical setting. Garden inspiration can come from anywhere; you may have to change the specific plants you use, but good design principles are universal. 
Look at these incredible stems on Bambusa vulgaris ‘Wamim’ (dwarf Buddha belly bamboo, Zones 9–12). This cultivar of common bamboo is selected for the unusual, rounded texture of the culms.
Tecomanthe dendrophila (New Guinea trumpet vine, Zone 10)
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Comments
Your photos are gorgeous, Erika. I'm totally infatuated with the close up of the giant yarey palm as well as the fascinating Buddha Belly bamboo...both so dramatically tropical. I'm wondering if the flowers of the New Guinea trumpet vine have a fragrance as enchanting as its opulent blooms?
Hope the wedding that was scheduled after your visit had a photographer as good as you.
Erika, I confess to not being a huge fan of tropical plants (I may get drummed out of this group for that remark!), but your photography is entirely captivating, and you bring out the drama of these plants so well. Buddha Belly Bamboo- what a fun name, so delicious to roll off the tongue, and so very descriptive of this amazing plant! Thanks again for sharing.
LOVE Raymond Jungle's works!
And, love your photography, Erika!
Especially love the "Japanese" garden photo with the beautiful red bridge!
Erika, you are a very skilled photographer, and the shot of the giant yarey palms shows you also have the eye of an artist! I agree with Cheryl A... saying Buddha Belly Bamboo is not only a delightful tongue twister it's shape also begs to be touched and rubbed! I wonder if a genie ever pops out and grant wishes when the 'right' culm is massaged?Hmmmm....
Lovely photography, Erika, of what appears to be a fun garden in which to stroll. I especially like the photo of the giant yarey palm. That New Guinea Trumpet vine must be a sight when in full bloom. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Don't know if you will see this but all your pics are amazing.
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